I Can't Decide
by AssassinOfRome
Summary: Zero and Armpit get into a serious fight. Who will win and who will lose? Songfic to 'I Can't Decide' by the Scissor Sisters. Rated T for violence and swearing. No slash... yet. AOR


Stanley had just finished digging when it happened. He could tell as soon as he walked into the Wreck Room that something was wrong. The air seemed to prickle with energy and even one was on their feet, staring at the pool table. Even ZigZag had turned his eyes away from the busted TV screen. Magnet beckoned Stanley over.

"Dude, what's going on?" He asked.

"It's Armpit, man." The Hispanic boy replied. "He's pissed off Zero!" Stanley's eyes widened and he stared at the scene in front of him. Every boy except for Zero and Armpit were gathered in a circle. Some were smiling and chanting, finally seeing some violence after months of nothing but a slightly bloody nose. Others, like X-Ray, looked oddly nervous, expressions blank but eyes overspilling with worry.

The two boys in the middle were both equally tense. Their gazes were fixed coldly on each other, both sizing up their opponent. Stanley nibbled his lip. Armpit was bigger and stronger than little Zero. But then again, he was fat and slow. Zero seemed quick and agile. Maybe, just maybe, there was a tiny chance he might get out of this battle alive.

"Come on, Runt!" Armpit jeered. "Or haven't you got the balls?" The older boy laughed. Some of B-tent did too. Armpit high-fived EZ, stoned on his own confindence. Zero's normally warm chocolate pool-like eyes were burning brightly with anger. His expression wasn't just a glare. It was a death threat. A promise of pain. Stanley had never seen the younger kid like this before. He seemed so... scary. But it was Zero. Little Zero. Stupid Zero who never said a word to anyone, not even Pendanski. Stanley wouldn't be surprised if the Warden ever questioned the little black boy, Zero still wouldn't speak.

"Hit me! Come on! You think you're hard enough. Hit me!" Armpit taunted and shoved Zero hard on the chest, who stumbled. When he regained his balance, Zero tensed. Stanley could see a muscle twitching in his left cheek. Crouching low, Zero took a step left, fists clenched. Armpit took a step right and they began to circle each other. Some of the crowd looked a little bored.

"Fight already!" Somebody cried. Armpit laughed.

"He ain't gonna hit me." He grinned at the crowd. Zero suddenly seemed calm. He showed no emotion but he relaxed his shoulders and straightened up. Armpit walked over to Thlump's CD player and slipped in a disc that had been resting beside it. A strange song that Stanley had never heard before began to play. Armpit sang along.

_"__It's not easy having yourself a good time.  
>Greasing up those bets and betters.<br>Watching out they don't four-letter."_

With these lines, he picked up some shower tokens the boys had been gambling with and threw them in Zero's face. He flinched away and the crowd laughed. Armpit picked up Zero with one hand and held the squirming boy off the ground for a few seconds before throwing him heavily on the floor, like another token. Zero landed on his ribs. Stanley thought he heard a crack and winced. Armpit put his foot on Zero's spine and pushed down. Zero didn't make a sound even though it was obvious he was in agony.

_"Fuck and kiss you both at the same time.  
>Smells like something I've forgotten.<br>Curled up died and now it's rotten." _

Armpit pushed his foot harder and hard into Zero's back, at one point moving up to the smaller boy's shoulders and giving them a good kick. Zero still didn't even whimper but bit his lip, which was starting to bleed. Stanley couldn't even imagine the pain Zero must have been in. True, he had been bullied at school but he was never harmed. Jeered and taunted at, yes. But hurt? No way. Armpit began to sweat and his disgusting funk increased. He felt sorry for the people in front of him. They must have been getting gassed. Stanley saw Squid almost retch but the other white boy grinned at him. He was enjoying this. Stanley felt disgusted at the other boy's brutality. If it was anyone else at camp, Armpit wouldn't have dared pick a fight. But because it was Zero, suddenly it was a jolly team sport watching someone get the crap kicked out of them. He glanced at Zero again, who caught Stanley's eye. The smaller boy smiled weakly at him and painfully moved his hand, flashing Stanley a thumbs up. Armpit suddenly took his foot off Zero and placed the other boy on his feet, miming dusting him down whilst still singing.

_"__I'm not a gangster tonight.  
>Don't want to be a bad guy.<br>I'm just a loner baby.  
>And now you're got in my way."<em>

Armpit wound his fingers around one of Zero's long corkscrew curls and pulled viciously, almost tugging the hair loose. Zero gave a silent scream and clutched his head. Armpit laughed cruelly and threw the other boy against the pool table, punching and kicking him at full force. Stanley was sure Zero hit his head against the wood. He gulped loudly as Armpit picked the boy up again and showed him around like a trophy. Zero lay limply in his arms. Armpit seemed to think for a few seconds, raising a pool cue to Zero's throat.

_"I can't decide,  
>Whether you should live or die.<br>Oh, you'll probably go to heaven.  
>Please don't hang your head and cry!<br>No wonder why,  
>My heart feels dead inside.<br>It's cold and hard and petrified.  
>Lock the doors and close the blinds.<br>We're going for a ride..." _

He twirled Zero around and placed him back on his feet, jabbing and smacking him several times with the pool cue until he stood straight. Armpit's weapon made a loud thwack everytime it connected with Zero, who was seriously battered and bruised. A yellowy-purple bruise was forming around his eye. It looked sore and painful. Blood from his lip dribbled down Zero's chin and stained his jumpsuit. A bit of swelling was visible. It also seemed like it hurt Zero to even move. To his credit, Zero hid the pain very well and it was only because Stanley was staring at him intently that he even noticed the other boy's tiny winces when he moved. Armpit dropped the pool cue and went to punch the younger boy in the face but Zero caught his fist in mid air. Quickly he twisted it and Armpit yelped. Zero let go, growling. He too began to sing, in a higher clearer voice then Armpit's low baritone.

_"__It's a bitch convincing people to like you.  
>If I stop now, call me a quitter.<br>If lies were cats, you'd be a litter." _

Stanley laughed, just a tiny bit at Zero's last line. It was only because, in his eyes, Zero seemed insanely cat-like. Stanley had noticed he stretched like a cat when he woke up in the mornings. Zero sat like a cat, with a slightly arched back and his fists in front of him like paw. At night, when Stanley had been lying awake, feeling homesick, behind all the other D Tent boys' snores and grunts, he swore he had heard a soft gentle purring noise. One night, he had stood up and walked quietly around the room, wondering who the hell it could be. It was Zero, curled up in a ball on top of his covers, purring away like a little kitten. That had brought a smile to Stanley's face and when he lay back down on his bunk, his homesickness was soothing by that small, quiet sound, rebounding of the tent walls into his ears. That night, Stanley had the best night's sleep he had ever had.

_"Pleasing everyone isn't like you.  
>Dancing jigs until I'm crippled.<br>Slug ten drinks I won't get pickled." _

Back in the fight, Zero was punching Armpit with surprising results. The larger boy was backing away, covering his head. Amrpit gripped Zero hard and shook him, making the younger boy dizzy. Zero clamped his teeth over the fleshy part of Armpit's hand, between the thumb and forefinger. He bit down hard and blood splurted all over both their jumpsuits. Armpit screeched and let Zero go, swearing loudly. Zero scampered backwards, dodging several kicks to his ankles. Armpit picked up his canteen and threw it at Zero with his good hand. Quickly, Zero ducked and the canteen bounced onto the ground, harmless once more. The small, silent boy stood still, quietly fuming. His chocolate eyes were smouldering pits of fury. Stanley thought they flashed red for a second but blamed it on the poor lighting.

_"__I've got to hand it to you.  
>You've played by all the same rules.<br>It takes the truth to fool me.  
>And now you've made me angry."<em>

Zero screamed the last line and picked up the green pool ball and threw it at Armpit's stomach. The boys around him backed away as he threw ball after ball at Armpit. Zero's afro was wilder and bushier then normal, standing up in all directions. His eyes glinted and he snarled dangerously at anyone who came near him. Angrily, he snatched Armpit's pool cue off the floor and raised it over the fat boy's head. The music kept playing and Zero kept singing, spitting in Armpit's face.

_"I can't decide,  
>Whether you should live or die.<br>Oh, you'll probably go to heaven.  
>Please don't hang your head and cry!<br>No wonder why,  
>My heart feels dead inside.<br>It's cold and hard and petrified.  
>Lock the doors and close the blinds.<br>We're going for a ride." _

Armpit grabbed Zero by the waist and picked him up, making him drop the pool cue. He punched Zero hard in the gut, making the boy curl up, winded. Armpit pulled at Zero's hair and clothes. He dragged Zero to the door and mimed throwing him out. He then placed his hand over Zero's mouth and throat, making the small boy unable to breathe. He cooed the following lines into Zero's ear.

_"Oh I could throw you in the lake,  
>Or feed you poisoned birthday cake.<br>I wont deny I'm gonna miss you when you're gone._

_Oh I could bury you alive.  
>But you might crawl out with a knife,<br>And kill me when I'm sleeping.  
>That's why..." <em>

Stanley watched, horrified as Armpit threw Zero onto the ground again and picked up a shovel that was leaning against the door. Menacingly, he stalked forward, pointing the blade at Zero, who tried to scurry away, looking terrified. Armpit laughed and turned the blade in his hand. He gripped it sideways so both hands were gripped over the handle. He pushed it towards Zero's throat. Zero raised his hands above his head and gripped the handle, pushing back with equal force. They stayed, locked together like that for a few seconds before Armpit won and shoved Zero into the crowd. He was pushed back towards Armpit, even though it was apparent he could barely even stand. Armpit beckoned Zero closer and the smaller boy took a shaky hesitant step. Stanley bit his fist, hoping and praying this would end soon. Armpit picked Zero up once more and pushed him against the Wreck Room wall, hands around Zero's throat. Armpit pinned Zero there, tightening his grip every few seconds. Zero clawed Armpit's chest like a jumpy cat. He began to kick and Armpit smashed his foot into the squirming boy's knee, ending that quickly. There was a loud crack. In the heat of the moment, everyone, even Armpit had forgotten the older boy was wearing steel tipped boots. Quickly, Armpit dropped Zero heavily on the floor as bright red blood blossomed across the fabric stuck to Zero's knee. It dripped down, leaving scarlet lines of fire across Zero's shin, who made his first noise of pain since the fight began. It was a heartbreaking whimpery sob that cut through the awkward silence. But the music was still playing, loud and clear.

_"I can't decide,  
>Whether you should live or die.<br>Oh, you'll probably go to heaven.  
>Please don't hang your head and cry!<br>No wonder why,  
>My heart feels dead inside.<br>It's cold and hard and petrified.  
>Lock the doors and close the blinds.<br>We're going for a ride..."_

Stanley ran over to Zero's fallen form and turned the boy over gently, trying not to hurt him. Zero hissed and Stanley felt like crying as his friend's face screwed up with pain. Gently, he pushed Zero's afro away from his face.

"Oh my God Zero... What've they done to you?" Stanley whispered, gripping the smaller boy's hand hard. Zero clutched back weakly. A few tears dripped from Stanley's eyes onto Zero's chest. He turned to the other boys.

"GET HELP!" He pratically screamed at them, hating every last person staring at him and Zero. Magnet scampered off to find Pendanski. Everyone stared at Armpit, Stanley and Zero with wary eyes.

"I didn't mean to hurt him that bad..." Armpit said in a small voice, staring at his bloodstained shoes.

"What?" Anger welled up in Stanley. "You didn't mean to hurt him so you kicked the shit out of him?" Armpit flinched away.

"Dude, I'm sorry..." He murmured.

"Sorry isn't good enough, Theodore." Stanley said coldly. Zero whimpered and Zero began to stroke his cheek. "Shh... shh... it's gonna be OK, Zero. I promise."


End file.
